The main verb and accompanying linking verbs form one subsection of the verb complex, beside modal verbs and auxiliaries, cf. (6a). We are first taking a look at the internal ordering of lexical verbs. Linking verbs form a small set of verbs, such as laat to let, sien to see, gaan to go, aanhou to keep on, staan to stand and sit to sit, which are lexically similar to verbs used as main verbs and also employed as such. Their function in a clause, however, is to qualify other lexical verbs or the clause itself. Linking verbs are divided into direct linking verbs, such as laat, and four indirect linking verbs, such as staan, sit and lê, expressing bodily postures, and loop, expressing movement. These four linking verbs are always followed, though not always directly, by the particle en. Direct linking verbs, unlike indirect linking verbs, are an open class, as the usage of betrap to catch in (6b) shows.

Linking verbs usually precede the main verb clause-finally, as in (7a) and in verb second and verb first positions, as in (7b) and (7c) respectively.

A direct linking verb usually precedes an indirect linking verb, as in (8a), though the opposite order is also possible when the indirect linking verb has an emotive rather than an aspectual function, as in (8b).

Linking verbs usually precede the main verb in the final verb cluster, whether followed by an auxiliary or not, as in (9a). However, when an auxiliary such as word governs only the main verb, this verb may be separated from the auxiliary and occupy a position at the beginning of the final cluster, as in (9b), thereby causing the main verb to precede the linking verb.

Modal verbs always precede lexical verbs, as in the clause-final cluster of (10a). Still preceding the main verb, one or even more than one modal may occur in verb-second position, as in (10b) and (10c), respectively. A single modal may occur in verb-first position, as in (10bi), but not a collocation of modals, cf. (10ci). Likewise, a collocation of modal and linking verb may occur in verb-second position, as in (10d), but not in verb-first, as in (10di).

In subordinate clauses, such as (11a), (11c ) and (11d), and in main clauses with a modal verb in second or first position, as in (11b) and (11e) respectively, auxiliary verbs such as het to have, word to become, is am, is, are, was was, were and wees to befollow lexical verbs, e.g.

In clause-final clusters, an auxiliary never precedes the past participle it governs, e.g.

In Afrikaans, unlike in Dutch, modals consistently precede lexical verbs as in moet ... spring must jump, with *spring … moet excluded. Modals even occupy the first or second position, as in (13a), leaving other verbs stranded clause-finally. If no modal verbs are present, V1/2 is occupied by an auxiliary, as in (13b). realis or factual construction in (13c) forms an exception in that a modal is preceded by the auxiliary het to have in verb-second position:

The basic sequence of verbs in a clause-final cluster is MODAL VERB(S) – LEXICAL VERB(S) – AUXILIARY VERB(S), as in (14a). A past participle not governed by het may move leftward away from the auxiliary governing it, as in (14b), and is typically positioned immediately before the clause-final verb cluster. (Note that in (14b) the past participle toegemaak is governed by the auxiliary wees to be, and the past participle gewees cannot move away from het) Collocations consisting of a linking verb and infinitive, such as leer hanteer to learn to handle in (14c), may be governed as a whole by an auxiliary, and moved together to the beginning of the final verb cluster like a past participle. Leftward movements such as these will give rise to a divergent order, viz. LEXICAL VERB(S) – MODAL VERB(S) – AUXILIARY VERB(S).